Drug Firms Offer Aid, Cut Prices for Africa
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Swiss drug giant Novartis said it would slash the price of a new malaria drug for Africa, while the French-German firm Aventis Pharma pledged help in the battle against sleeping sickness.
The World Health Organization welcomed the offers, which come as drug makers face pressure to cut the price of AIDS drugs for poor nations.
Aventis Pharma said it was giving WHO $25 million over five years to fight sleeping sickness in Africa.
A Novartis official said the malaria drug will be sold at cost but did not give a price. The cost in the West is $40 to $50; WHO has been pushing for a price of $2 for Africa.
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